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Monday, February 28, 2011

I am sorry I am late with this today. I started my art class today and got all wrapped up in it :) So let's get started:

1. From background fabric Cream Tone one Tone cut:

2- 2 1/2" x 42 1/2" strips

40- 2 3/8" squares

9- 1 1/2" x 8 1/2" rectangles

2- 2" x 8 1/2" rectangles

From each of 10 candy fabrics cut:

1- 4 1/2" square

1- 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" rectangle

2. In an effort not to reinvent the wheel I am going to redirect you to a tutorial written by my friend Sophie. Grab your ten 4 1/2" squares and your forty 2 3/8" squares and go here to learn how to make no waste flying geese. When you are done you will have 40 flying geese that will be nice and accurate and waste free.

3. Take two matching flying geese and the 2 1/2" by 3 1/2" rectangle that matches and sew them together in this order:

4. Grab the other two matching flying geese and add them to each end like this:

Yeah! Candy!

5. Arrange your candy pieces in a pleasing order and sew them together adding the 1 1/2" x 8 1/2" rectangles between each one like so:

6. To each end of the strip of candy add the 2" x 8 1/2" rectangles:

7. Shoot I didn't get a picture but you will sew the 2 1/2" x 42 1/2" strips to the top and bottom of the candy strip.

8. Sew the row to the bottom of the first three rows.

Isn't coming out adorable?

This is what I was up to today. My first third attempt and a new art form. IT was the first with any kind of training though :)

Friday, February 25, 2011

You know the one... the one where you start thinking all about your weekend projects. If you need one more thing to do... who doesn't? You must go look at Jana's tutorial for The Quilted Fish after all... you know I love cupcakes and so do you :)

4. Grab the other two pink tone on tone 3 7/8 x 7 rectangles and other two matching cupcake fabric 3 7/8 x 7 rectangles and cut them corner to corner this direction:

5. Lay out three of each cupcake fabric and tone on tone matching triangles so they look like this (you will have an extra piece of each fabric left over):

6. Match you piece up right sides together so that each end has a point hanging over. The distance at the coner of where the two pieces match should be 1/4 inch on each side. Pin and sew 1/4 inch seam on each of the six pairs. Press toward the cupcake fabric.

7. When finished these should measure 3 1/2 by 6 1/2. Trim the points of the side and you will have something that looks like this:

8. Lay out three stacks of cupcake fabric 3 1/4 by 6 1/2 triangles and sew them together in sets. Press (direction doesn't matter).When finished they should measure 6 1/2 by 8 5/8. Trim to 6 1/2 by 8 1/2 (this was the only way to make these without giving you crazy measurements to cut and the 1/8 off one side doesn't even show) They will look like this:

9. Add the triangle units to each side so that your cupcake looks like this:

10. Sew the 4 1/2 by 14 1/2 pink tone on tone rectangles to the top of the cupcake bases press and set aside.

Here is my applique method. I think this is the simplest and I am not big on hand applique, altough these would be super easy to hand applique. I didn't want raw edge because I want this to be a childs quilt but if it were for a wall hanging I would probably go ahead and o raw edge. Use whatever method you like this is just one way.

11. Trace the sewing line of the template onto the non-adhesive side of your feather weight interfacing three times. Make sure there is at least 1/2 inch between each of the tracings. Use whatever marking method you prefer here the marks will not show because they will be turned under.

11. Cut the three pieces apart. You can do this roughly as seen below. Make sure there is at least 1/4 inch around he perimeter of all of the pieces.

12. Put the interfacing together with one 4 by 15 piece of cream fabric. The right side of the fabric should face the adhesive (bumpy) side of the interfacing.

13. Sew all the way around the marked line. Sewing the interfacing to the right side of the fabric.

14. Trim around the applique approximately 1/4 outside the line/stitching. Then clip the bottom curves of the applique. Clip into the corners being sure not to clip your stitching. trim your outside corners well.

15. Seperate the two layers and make a small clip in the interfacing.

16. Trim around the inside approximately 1/2 inside the stitching. Leave the interfacing behind the scallops this will keep the cupcake fabric from showing through the lighter cream fabric.

17. Carefully turn right side out use your favorite pointy tool to turn the corners (I like my chop stick).

18. Use your finger or the flat side of your chopstick and press around the perimeter. You can't use an iron here because you have fusible :)

19. Lay the applique on the cupcake. The points of the scallop should be just under the seam of the background and cupcake. The side points should be a little more than 1/4 inch insdie the edge of the block so they are not cut off when sewing the blocks together.

20. Use your iron and press the applique to the cupcake block. The fusible will be facing the block so that you have a nice fused edge to sew down. This is not a super strong hold like fusible web would be so if you need to re-position you can. This will be just enough to hold the applique in place while you edges stitch it on.

21. Set the stitch length a little longer on your machine that what you would use to piece. Top stitch close tot he edge of the applique, stopping to pivot at the points and tops of the scallops.

We won't add the sprinkles (buttons) until the quilt is quilted.

22. Sew your three blocks together and attach to the previous two rows.

Monday, February 21, 2011

It is called "Sew What Bags" by Lexie Barnes. I had a few people ask for a review of the book so here it is... a tiny bit late.

Here are a few more images from the book:

The first and second chapters are sewing basics.

I just wanted to give you an idea of the kind of projects that are in the book. I only made one project from the book and even then I changed it to suit my needs. I discovered after I bought the book that I was already a little past it as far as making bag skills go.

This would be an awesome book for someone that was fairly new to sewing or had never made a bag before. The first two chapters are all about how to sew. Then the project go from simple to more complicated with each chapter having a mix of easy to intermediate projects. The instructions are very comprehensive with illustrations and measurements. I believe even the newest sewer could use this book, unlike Amy Butler's new bag book (not that I don't love it, but it isn't for the faint of heart). This would be a super book for a teenager that wants to make bags too. There are a lot of fun projects like book bags and backpacks for the younger generation in it.

Hope this helps.

If you are looking for the 3Cs quilt along it will be back Wednesday. We have applique this week but I promise I will make it as painless as possible :)

Friday, February 18, 2011

So many things have been running through my head lately. I met a wonderful new friend a few weeks ago (I am gonna highlight her and her blog below) who is completely brand spankin' new to quilting. I can't even remember that time in my life 16 yrs ago. I guess the fact that I have sewn almost all my life (started machine sewing at 5) it didn't seem like a big learning curve when I started quilting. Since I lived in Germany and didn't have a lot of access to fabric stores etc (only one car for two of us), I taught myself to quilt from McCalls quilting and American Patchwork and Quilting. I made a few mistakes in the beginning, like ironing my seams open (which lots of people do now but was a big no no back then), but I learned pretty well from those magazines. I even learned the right way to do binding from them. I digress... I am helping, by little bits and pieces, her to learn quilting. It made me want to write some very basic quilting directions. Like how to get a perfect 1/4 seam when you don't have a 1/4 foot... How to make sure your seams match and your points are pointy. So I am wondering if these kind of things are already out there.

In the mean time let me tell you about Becky, my new friend. Becky is becoming a grandma today at the ripe old age of ( maybe I shouldn't tell you but she is younger than me)... well, it might actually not be until tomorrow you know how these things can go with a first child. Becky is an amazing artist. She paints, yes, really paints. I am so in awe of people that can stand in front of a blank canvas and create something beautiful out of it. She also has an extensive scrapbooking resume, she is part of quite a few manufacturers design teams. So as I help teach her to quilt she is introducing me to art and scrapbooking. Her emails are looked forward to everyday...

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This is one of her paintings that is available at a really reasonable price.

﻿ Every week she posts layouts for scrapbooking, her quilting progress, her wonderful photography, and her art work. Please go take a look at her blog... I think you will enjoy her.

...and a bit more about art. As I said Becky is helping me understand art and one of the things she introduced me to is The She Art Workshop it is an online mixed media art class. It starts Feb.28 and I am so excited. I tried making a little something before Valentines day on a piece of recycled cardboard just for fun. I think it is really bad but that is why I am taking a class right? I am calling it road kill... thought about adding a tab here called "Road Kill" where I could post these things but... someday I hope to have something that looks less like roadkill and I don't want to jinx myself LOL The person putting on the class is named Christy Tomlinson she has a long history in the scrapbooking world and it is really interesting. She always has something creatively inspiring posted so you might want to check her out too :)

Next... I am guesting over at the Riley Blake Blog called Cutting Corners today. Come check out the button bracelet part two it's so Groovy :)

Last I wanted to let you know that the 3Cs Row Three might be a day or two late. I forgot that Monday is a holiday so I won't be here to post. I am planning to have it ready to go by Wednesday. Thanks for your understanding :)

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

All day today I have been working on a fun new tutorial for you all... unfortunately it has to remain a secret a little longer so... since I can't show you what I worked on today I will show you what I worked on yesterday...

Yesterday I made two little linen zippered pouches for my partners in the Scrappy Mug Rug Swap and the Urban Home Goods swap. This is the package my Mug Rug partner is getting.

... I am a bit embarrassed to share this because I don't want you all to think I am tooting my own horn but, the girls at Lizzie B Cre8tive posted a picture of a bracelet that they made from my tutorial on Amanda's blog. It is so cute and I am so honored.